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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1994-10-12, Page 44 -THE HURON EXPOSITOR, October 12, 1994 H F Expositor Your Community Newspaper Since 1860 TERRI-LYNN DALE - General Manoger & Advertising Manager MARY MEILOR - Sales PAT ARMES - Office Manager DIANNE McGRATH - Subscriptions TIM CUMMING - Editor DAVID SCOTT - Reporter LINDA PULIMAN - Typesetter BARB STOREY - Distribution A Burgoyne Community Newspaper SUBSCRIPTION RATES: LOCAL - 28.00 a year, in odvonce, plus 1 96 G.S.T. SENIORS - 25.00 o year, in advance, plus 1.75 G S.T. Goderich, Stratford addresses. 28.00 a year, in odvance, plus 7.28 postoge, plus 2.47 G.S.T Out -Of -Area oddresses 28.00 o year, in advance, plus 11.44 postoge, plus 2.76 G.S.T USA & Foreign. 28.00 a year in advance, plus 576.00 postage, G.S.T. exempt SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Published weekly by Signal -Star Publishing at 100 Moin St , Seaforth. Publication mail registra- tion No. 0696 held of Seaforth, Ontario. Advertising is occepted on condition that in the event of a typographical error, the advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not be char, but the balance of the odvertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate. In the event o a typographical error,, advertising goods or services at o wrong price, goods or services may not be sold. Advertising is merely an offer to sell and may be withdrawn at any time. The Huron Expositor is not responsible for the loss or damage of unsolicited manuscripts, photos or other materials used for reproduction purposes. Changes of address, orders for subscriptions and undeliverable copies are to be sent to The Huron Expositor. Wednesday, October 12, 1994. Editorial and Business Offices - 100 Main Street, Seaforth Telephone (519) 527-0240 Fax (5191 527-2858 Mailing Address • P.O. Box 69, Seaforth, Ontario, NOK 1 WO Member of the Canadian Community Newspaper Association, Ontario Community Newspapers Association and the Ontario Press Council Local politics important Mike Bradley says municipal politics isn't the Junior Leagues. The Sarnia Mayor, who was expected to announce yesterday (Oct. 11) whether he will run at the provincial or municipal level, says some view municipal politics as a `junior -league' step to the 'big time.' "The opposite is true," Bradley is quoted as saying in the Oct. 7 London Free Press. "You're more able to influence and improve the quality of people's lives (at the municipal level)." Bradley is absolutely right that municipal politics has a profound impact on the lives of ratepayers. Municipal politics is closest to the people. A municipal decision can affect someone's life instantly. For these reasons, it's important to have the best candidates for public office in the municipalities of Central Huron and Western Perth. If you feel you can contribute to municipal decision-making by running for public office you must do so now! The deadline for nominations is this Friday, Oct. 14. The people are served best if there is a chance for the issues to be debated. Be prepared to do your part by filing your nomination papers on or before Oct. 14 and by voting for the best candidates on Nov. 14. Let's make this a real election! Ask questions! Vote! Consider running for public office. - (TBC). In the Years Agone) Local school tops in golf FROM THE PAGES OF THE HURON EXPOSITOR OCTOBER 19, 1894 The first snowfall of- the - season- took place on Sunday last. There was not a heavy fall, but enough to keep us in mind that there will be plenty more before long. * * * Mr. D. D. Wilson has sold the old Adams' farm adjoining Seaforth, to Mr. George Chesney. The farm contains about 70 acres, and was sold for $5,000. Mr. Chesney has secured one of the best farms in the county. * * * Miss Belle Richardson, daughter of Mr. Robert Richardson, has secured a school at Wyoming, Ontario, for the next year. * ** Mr. Wm. Hartry, our local beekeeper and poultry breeder, has swept in the prizes pretty freely this fall, having taken nine first and one second on honey, and 16 first and second prizes on Leghoms and Minorca fowls. * * * Dr. F. J. Burrows has been appointed District Surgeon for the Grand Trunk Railway, in place of Dr. Smith. OCTOBER 24, 1919 Mr. Andrew Scott is making extensive improvements to the residence on the corner of Godcnch and Sparling Streets. * * * Jacob Latta has sold his 100 -acre farm to Frank Fitzgerald. * ** Campbell Eyre, son of Mr. and Mrs. George Eyre was leading out a horse to water when it became playful and kicked him in the face. * * * Mr. Wm. Cooper Jr. is in Chatham this week attending the ploughing match. OCTOBER 27, 1944 The communities of Seaforth, McKillop and Tuckersmith received their new ration books. * ** About 125 persons gathered in the Community Hall at Walton to hon- our Mr. and Mrs. Boyd Driscoll. Ivan Shannon read an address and Walter Somerville presented thew— with hemwith a 98 -piece dinner set of dishes. Mr. D. F. McGregor retired from the position of Municipal Clerk after 34 years of service. McGregor retired after he felt the job was too . much, of a strain on his health. * * * Kippen East Women's Institute packed 20 boxes for the boys serv- ing overseas. The boxes will be sent in January. * * * The friends and neighbours of Mr. and Mrs. George Eaton and family gathered for a farewell party. * * * Robert Tyndall of Tuckersmith completed his season's threshing a week ago and reports a good yield of grain and a superior grade. OCTOBER 23, 1969 Former friends and neighbours of Mr. and Mrs. John Murphy called on them in their new Seaforth resi- dence Wednesday evening to hon- our them following their recent move from St. Columban. On behalf of the gathering Angus Kennedy read an address and Mrs. Kennedy and Mrs. Len O'Rourke presented them with a pole lamp, ash tray and vase. * * * Mr. and Mrs. Frank Maloney were honoured Saturday evening whcn 70 friends and neighbours gathered in the St. James' school hall. Mr. and Mrs. Maloney have moved to Stratford. On behalf of the gathering an address was read by W. Whittaker and James Kelly presented the couple with a chair and purse. Mr. Maloney replied and expressed thcir regrets on leaving the community. * * * Beata Malkus and Margaret Elligsen are handling Seaforth Dis- trict High School news this year for the Expositor. * * * Marc than 150 Dublin and arca residents went on a 20 walkathon through Hibbert and Fullarton Townships. The walkathon was held to raise $4,000 for a new play- ground. �•* Members of the SDHS girls' championship golf team defeated three other Huron -Perth secondary schools for the title. The team is Gail Doig, who carded, at a 61 along with her sister Carol Ann 'Doig, also with -=61-i Barbara Bolt_. who led the team with a 54 and Jean Campbell who had a 71. Opinion Don't blame me...I was too drunk BY PATRICK RAFTIS A dangerous convicted offender freed from responsibil- ity for his violent crime because he drank too much alcohol? Few would have believed such a situation possible before last Friday, when the Supreme Court of Canada accepted a defense which had previously been rejected in all quarters, from courtrooms to cocktail parties, from bar rooms to bedrooms - "I was so drunk, I didn't know what I was doing." It sounds insane, but this very line of reasoning, which hadn't softened an irate spouse since time immemorial, was given credence by the Supreme Court in a case involving the sexual assault of an elderly wheel -chair bound woman by an intoxicated 72 -year-old man. As reported -widely in the media, the ruling means the Montreal man, whose blood/alcohol level at the time, between 400 and 600 milli- grams/100 millilitres (80 milli- grams is 'impaired for driving purposes), will get a new trial. BY PAT RAFTIS In essence, the court ruled that a person so severely impaired "they were in a state akin to automatism or insanity," could not have the presence of mind to know they were committing a crime. In a written dissent, Mr. Justice John Sopinka reasoned that while this was one of the rare cases in which the accused was sufficiently intoxicated to raise a reasonable doubt as to whether he intended to commit the offence, that did not excuse the man's behaviour. He is right on. "Individuals who render them- selves incapable of knowing what they are doing through the voluntary consumption of alco- hol or dugs possess a sufficiently blameworthy state of mind that their imprisonment does not offend the principle of funda- mental justice which prohibits imprisonment of the innocent," Sopinka wrote. Boiled down, the dissenting Justice was telling us that if the consumption of enough alcohol to cause the commission of a crime was voluntary, that sat- isfies the law's requirement that the accused cause the crime through his own voluntary actions. While this makes sense, the decision of the majority (it was a 6-3 decision) is absurd. While the defense would likely be invocable only in the rarest of circumstances and require exten- sive medical proof, it's simply not acceptable that the court would even consider it. If a person could be said to be too drunk to knowingly commit rape, then could they be too drunk to commit other forms of assault? Murder? What about the ultimate irony - an accused too drunk to be convicted of drunk driving? Before Friday, the general legal rule was the self-induced drunkenness could not be used as a defense against any crime, with the odd exception of mur- der. For some reason, a success- ful defense of extreme drunken- ness could result in a reduction of charge from murder to man- slaughter. Why a situation which didn't make the victim any less dead, would make the perpetra- tor less culpable is anybody's guess, but that was the situation. In handing down this ruling, the Supreme Court may have created a whole new class of untouchable repeat offenders. Anyone so enslaved by alcohol that they could commit a crime as savage as rape under its influ- ence once, could foreseeably do so again. To say this precedent is a dangerous one is a grave under- statement. One wonders how a sober mind could arrive at such a conclusion. • Patrkk Raftis is Editor and General Manager of the Lakeshore Advance. He is a former Huron Expositor reporter. F&%JacS Seaforth Town Weat,_Ont., Canada The following post card reproduction is from the collection of Don Morton, which has been loaned the Seaforth Local Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee (LACAC). This is a scene of Seaforth's west side of town. In the foreground are the roof tops of the Main Street Buildings. Note the foundry on the left of the card. If you are a Seaforth resident, can you pick out your house? This post card is written to a Miss Laird, of Thedford. It reads: "Dear Cousins, Hello, how are you? I suppose you are looking for us some of these days. Well, we are in Stratford tonight and will stop off at Thedford Friday. We will try to come on forenoon train if we can make connections. If we do we'll call you up to come at night. It may be late so please meet us if possible. Yours, Evelyn." If you are from the Seaforth district don't forget the Seaforth Homecoming which takes place August 3-6, 1995. Letters Start cutting by removing golden MPs' pensions Dear Editor, 'Axworthy prepares to test the water.' In an effort to reduce or withdraw social benefit programs, the Minis- ter will present a study to the people in the hopes of getting approval to initiate reductions. Perhaps he could provide leadership for us all by fust reducing MP- MPP's golden pensions after only six years, eg. Elston, age 44, pen- sion, $48,000 per year, indexed. Now, not later, might be the time to get back to basics and a good place to start might be the upcom- ing municipal elections. Just like W-5 on TV, ask some questions and get some answers. If an elected person has made promises in the past (eg. to hold or reduce taxes or provide increased services), did they follow through? If not, why not? Now is the time to use your God-given right to protect the future of this country for your children and/or grandchildren. Leo Kroonen Dublin Seaforth not always 'friendly town Dear Editor, I am writing a follow-up letter to one written by Amanda Manuel about racism. I am glad that Amanda Manuel takes the time to find the inner person. No matter the colour differ- ence, short, tall, thin, fat, etc. Per- sonally, I think if I had friends who had a problem with people different from them, how could I call them the Editor the Editor Seaforth have been nothing but gossiping, nosey, rude, obnoxious, and ridiculing. I hated living in Seaforth. Now, I figure if you don't like me for who I am the hell with Letters to my friends? Also referring to your quote "Seaforth - The Friendly Town". I moved into the area in 1975. Being a different colour and overweight a lot of the people of you. You aren't worth me knowing. After all, I am an ancestor of the first people here. I am Indian (native) and proud of it. My family and I really appreciate Amanda speaking up against some- thing (racism) she knows is wrong. Hopefully, it will open a few people's eyes. Thanks, Amanda! Monica Williams Seaforth, Ont. Please helv avoid railwau tnwedii Dear Editor, The employees, of the Goderich- Exeter Railway arc very concerned about the apparent lack of under- standing on the part of Goderich residents about the dangers of being on or around railway tracks. On Saturday, October 7 our train was working around Goderich doing extra service for our cus- tomers. I looked out the office window to sec a man walking along our station platform and a small boy playing on the tracks beside him. I told the boy that is very dangerous and that the train was coming and could kill him. 1 did not realize that 'another employee had told this pair exactly the same thing a half hour before. Within another half hour, our train was preparing to move cars and an employee noticed that an older boy was in between the cars. Luckily he had a radio and was able to tell the train to stop and not to move. If this boy had not been noticed and the train stopped, he would surely have been mangled and killed. These are not isolated incidents - Justice `Russian Roulette' style on a daily basis, we have to ask parents, grandparents, teenagers and small children to stay off the tracks. The public may think that our train is slow moving and they can get out of the way, but the size and speed of the train is very deceptive. I have been to many train accidents where adults and children both have been horribly killed - there is no second chance with a train, the person always loses. These deaths are totally useless - people have no right to be on the tracks; it's private property and very dangerous. Dear Editor, Has justice decided to play the game of 'Russian Roulette' with the lives of victims involved in sexual assaults? Or, are they trying to re- enact that childhood game known as "May I" one baby step forward, and ten GIANT steps backwards for victims? The Supreme Court of Canada has rewritten a particular ruling within the criminal law. They have now stated that people can be acquitted of crimes like sexual assault because they were so drunk they didn't know what they were doing. This a decision of the highest _-YiCUns' rights aro realize what I was doing. I was demeaned within the Judi- acting mechanically, out of habit. If I had realized how drunk I was I would never have driven my car. cial system and now they have this to comply with. The Supreme Court cautioned that intoxication will only be a defence in the 'rarest of cases,' where an accused can prove he was extremely drunk. As if every defence lawyer in Canada is not re- evaluating their defence involving their clients at this very moment? The ruling was upheld 6-3, the intention, to update the law with the Charter of Rights. Will this now provide 'drunk drivers' with a reason for getting behind the wheel of their automo- bile and operating a vehicle under the influence? Their defence, "Sorry, officer, I was too drunk to A How many people did you say I killed again?" Or; another hypothetical case could be: "You say I raped that girl? I don't recall. If I had been sober 1 would never have attacked her. It was a totally involuntary sexual assault. I can't believe she's only ten years old." Justice has taken a real nose-dive based on this ruling. They arc giving credence to excessive alcohol consumption and allowing them to say they were without conscious knowledge, or will of the subject, for crimes they committed as a result. Dangerous!!! Mrs. Debra Scherlc Clinton, Ont. We have an education seminar called 'Operation Lifesaver' that we have presented at all the arca schools and will present this sem- inar to anyone who requests it. Please call us to learn more about train safety and how to save your life or the life of someone you love. Please don't continue to cause our employees to fear every day that someone could be killed by our train. Yours truly, Arlene Parker, General Manager Goderich-Exeter Railway Use recycling properly or lose it, says township Residents of Tuckersmith Township must be morc careful in their recycling efforts, cau- tioned council at the Sept. 20 meeting. Some glass is being deposited in the newspaper recycling bins and residents must "clean up their act," according to Reeve Bill Camochan. If future loads arc contami- nated the residents might lose those recycling bins for those items where contamination occtured: " _ - A